Galvanic battery



(No Model.)

E. H. CROSBY. GALVANIC BATTERY.

Patented Apr. 2, 1889.

Figi I@ j, y

UNITED STATES PATENT YOEEICE.'v

EDWARD H. CROSBY, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

GALvANlo BATTERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,480, dated April 2, 1889'.

' Application filed January l0, 1889. Serial No, 295,933. (No modali) To all whom it 11m/y concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. CROSBY, of

Boston, in the county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Batteries, of which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable any panying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a vertical transverse section of my improved battery, and Fig. 2 a sectional view showing amodiiioation in the method of connecting the conducting-wire.

Like letters and igures of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different Iigures of thedrawings.

-My invention relates especially to that class of electric batteries which are known as opencircuit batteriesgand it consists in certain novel features, as hereinafter fully set forth and claimed, the object being to produce a simpler, cheaper, and more effective device of this character than is now in ordinary use.

The nature and operation of the improvement will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters from the following explanation.

In the drawings, A represents the containing-j ar, which is constructed of zinc and forms the negative pole of the battery, onev of the conducting-wires being attached in any suitable manner thereto. The inner face of the jar is preferably amalgamated with mercury, as shown at In the bottom of the jar is disposeda hardrubber insulatonb, upon which the carbon pole B rests, said pole being preferably in the' form of a pencil.

Surrounding the carbon pencil B at its top and bottom is a hard-rubber insulating-ring, d, the purpose of which is to prevent said pole from being accidentally brought into contact with the jar A.

The jar is lled around the carbon B with a packing, D, consisting of ordinary wool or cotton waste or other spongy material especially prepared with the excitant in the following manner: The wool waste is soaked for some hours in a strong solution of salammoniac, which is then squeezed out of it to carry off the greasy properties of the wool, after which itis again soaked in the solution until thoroughly saturated, when the crystals of the sal-ammoniac will adhere to the wool. The Wool, while moist and carrying with it all of the solution it will hold, after the manner of a sponge, is then packed in the jar A around the carbon B. When the carbon pencil is formed, a cap, f, is cast upon its upper end and a conducting-wire cast therein, s'aid cap being composed of a compound of tin and lead. The top of the jar and cap f are then covered by an insulating-cap, g, composed, preferably, of linen prepared with parafiine or similar substance.

The ordinary brass connector, h, maybe employed for securing the conducting-wire to the carbon pole, as shown in Fig. 2; but I preferably make use of the cap f, constructed as described, as the fumes arising from the excitant have little or no eifect upon. it and polarization is thereby prevented.

I find that the electro-motive force of the battery arranged as described is much greater than in batteries of ordinary construction. Its life is also much longer, and it can readily be renewed by moistenin g the packing D very slightly with water or the solution described, sufficient moisture only being required to affect the sal-ammoniac crystals on the Wool.

Having thus explained my invention, what I claim is- 1. In au electric battery, the combination of a zinc-containing jar, a carbon pencil disposed within said jar and insulated therefrom by hard-rubber rings, and a packing disposed around said pencil consisting of wool Waste saturated with. a solution of sal-ammoniac, substantially as described.

2. In an electric battery, the combination of a zinc-containing jar, a carbon pencil disposed in said jar and insulated therefrom, a pack- IOO a zinc-containing jar anialgarnated on its inand provided with the insulator b, the pencil ner face, an insulator in the bottom of said B, having the insulating-rings cl, the packing jar, a carbon pencil resting therein and pro- D, disposed around said pencil and composed vided with insulating-rings, a Wire-connector of Wool Waste saturated with salammoniac, 15

5 on said pencil composed of lead and tin, an the Wire-connectorf, composed of acompound excitant consisting of sal-ammoniac suspendof tin and lead, and the insulatingcap g, all ed in a sponge-like material around said penbeing arranged substantially as described.

cil, and an insulating-cap for said jar, sub- EDWVARD H. CROSBX stantially as described. Witnesses:

xo 4. In an electric battery, the combination of O. M. SHAW,

the zinc-containing jar A, amalgamated at K. DURFEE 

